Mainichi Daily News | 18 July 2006

Japan, India agree to launch FTA talks

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, agreed Monday that Japan and India will begin work to enter negotiations to conclude a free trade agreement between them.

Meeting in this Russian city, Koizumi and Singh acted on a report from the two countries’ joint study panel recommending the conclusion of a bilateral FTA. The panel was set up in line with the two leaders’’ agreement at a meeting in April last year.

Koizumi and Singh met this time on the sidelines of the annual Group of Eight summit. Singh participated in an outreach session between leaders of the G-8 countries and five emerging economies, including India.

Koizumi told Singh that he regrets India’s missile test conducted on July 9, coming as it did amid tension over North Korea’s missile launches.

(Jiji Press)